Aircraft.



I. P. TAIIBOX.

AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 2.1913.

LQSOAQS. Patented June I9, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. P. TARBOX.

AIRCRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY 2, I9I3.

15,230,443 PIIIenI-ed June 19, 1917.

rniliTnn sTaTTs raTnnT onirica.- g

JOHN P. TARBGX, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO TARBOX- SATETY AIRCRAFT I COMPANY, A CORPORATIONOF DELAWARE.

AIRCRAFT.

Specification of Letters atent. 1 Patented Jun@ T9, T9170' Appiieauoneiee July 2, i913. serial ira-776,979.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN P. TAneoX, a

citizen of the United States, residing at lualo, county of Erie, State of New York, have invented new and useful Tmproveinents in Aircraft, of which the followingwis a specification. y

My invention relates to i aeroplanes,` and has for its principal object the production of a structure which is capable of arising and alighting without the usual longitudinal running along the ground. Tn the use of aeroplanes manyd-iflculties are encountered,I and many accidents result, by reason of the rough ground upon-which a landing must be made,.and after landing it is often di cult or even impossible to rise again from the ground.

ln carrying my invention into eect T provide an aeroplane which is capable of straight line and curved line nights in the .usual manner, and, in addition is so constructed that it v operates as a helicopter for vertical flights and in arisingk from 'and l aligliting upon the ground. Thave produced therefore what T believe to be a new type of machine, which may be termed a heli- Tn my helicopl'ane, `'the supporting planes are divided into sections which are capable of being given different relative positions with respect to each other. Inl one or more of these positions the structure as` whole acts as an ordinary aeroplane; while in 'another of these positions the sections of the supporting planes follow eachother around some point the structure as a center, and hence a helicopter action is produced. f There are, of course, many intermediate `positions`A between the extremes, and suitable means from one position to another and for at all times controlling and balancing the craft.

. The invention consists in the novel con-y struction of parts hereinafter described and rig. iis a diagram@ ne min fragile, of the'machine; `Tffigs to 10 are diagrammatic views of fthe'variou's intermediate positionsv which the 'supporting surfaces are giveni'n shifting 'from gyratoryto straight lin'elight; and

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate diagrammatically a modified form.

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the operators seat, equipped with a hand operated -fan wheel on an axis at right angles toa radius from thecenter thereof.

-The main frame, Figs. l and 2, is designated 10. It is diamond-shaped in plan and as clearly lshown in Fig. 4 is of tetrahedral construction, whereby it is given very great strength. This construction includes diagonal braces 11 between its upper' centerand. 4

lower outer corners, together withjsuitable vertical and transverse struts 12 and 13.

Two lifting surfaces 14, 14 uareunounted for relative angular movement in large bearings 15, 16` at the outer extremities of the.

frame 10, by means of a rigidly connected- V frame 17 formed by upper and lower journal rings 18 rigidly connected together by diagonally spaced rods 19.

A propeller 2O isassociated with each Surface 14, .14, being mountedin each case on a transversely journaled shaft 21 (Fig. 3), the aXis of which lintersects the vertical line passing through the center ofv pressure of the surface. This center of pressure coincideswith the vertical `pivotalvaxis of the surface. Gears 22 on the inner ends of the shafts 21 mesh with gears 23 on shafts 24 journaled in the frames 17 on the lines of thepivotal axes of the surfaces 14. Sprockets 25' on the'lower ends of shafts 24 are."

..Lconnected by chains 26 with revolving cylin-y are provided for controlling the changes `4 der motor 27 mounted centrally of the frame 10 with its.. aXis lying, substantiallyl within the common plane of the shafts 24.

Surfaces 14, 14 are connected together' by crossed cables 28 which connect withl sectors 29 fixed to the respective surfaces, and which cables are operatively engaged by vertically mounted drum 30 on frame 10.` An operators hand-wheel 31 is proning gear are connected 'Xedly to transversely opposite points on the frame 10.

tremity of each of the surfaces 14, 14. Diagonally opposite balancing devices are interconnected by operating cords or cables 33 for independent movementV in pairs. The term diagonally is used with respect to the positions whichthe balancing devices 32 occupy when the surfaces 14-, 14 ,are

their dotted line positions. Separate levers 34 are `provided on the frame 10 on opposite sides of wheel 31 for operating the balancing devices 32 through'the cables 33. It will be observed that the cables are, passed over pulleys 35,' 36 located with their guiding peripheries substantially tangent to the pivotal axes of the surfaces 14, 14, whereby alteration in the length of the paths of the cables 33 is not brought about when the surfaces 14, 14 are shifted.

The seat 37 for the operator is' swivelly mounted on top of ,the fr-ame 10 and at the center thereof with the swivel of the seat in substantially coincidence with the vertical aXis of the motor` 27. The controlling levers 34 and wheel 81 are within easy reach of the seat. Attached to the back thereof above the planeof the wheel 31l and the tops of the levers 34 is a rearwardly extending rod 38 carrying a vane 39 inclined to the horizontal, as indicated-in the imposed section.

Connected with each surface 14, 14 is a wheel 40 of the running gear.. This connection is made to the bearing rings 18 of the frame 17 whereby the wheels 4G which are fixed in planes transverselyY of the surfaces 14, 14 are shiftedlwhenxthe surfaces are shifted. Other wheels 41 ofthe run- The operation of the? machine is as follows: With the surfaces 14,14 in the full line positionshown in Figs. 1 andvQ, the

motor Ais started (and may be controlledY by any suitable means, carried up within reach of the operator in any suitable manner, .preferably through the swivel `of the seat 37 'in the same manner as the cords 33 are ,carried through the pivotal connections of the surfaces 14, 14'). The operator being in his seat 37, the machine is released and immediately commences a gyratory movement, propeller 20 associated with the left-handv surface 14, pushing that surface in the direction shown by the arrow in front of the surface, and the propellerQO (of the tractor type) associated with the right-hand surface 14', pulling that surface -in the direction of the arrow shown in its front. This movement is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, the propellers 2O for the sake of clarity being both shown as of the .impelling type. When the gyratory speed'becomes sulicient to give the surfaces 14, 14 sufficient lifting power, the machine rises vertically from the earth. 1t takes but a few seconds to attain*l this speed. As the machine rises, thelreaction of theV air upon the inclined vane 39 attached to the operators seat A37 creates a torque on the seat 37 in a direction opposite to the direction of gyration ofthe machine and the operator is thus not revolved with the machine. Thus, although the number of gyrations of the machine `a minute is very small and its movement comparatively slow, the operator is not subjected to the influence of being revolved with the machine and thereby possibly losing his bearings. During the initial gyration, the wheels 40 and 41 of the running gear track in concentric circles.

.Having reached a suitable height for any purpose, the operator by throttling the motor may maintain the machine at that height. for .as long a-period as desired, or else by increasing or decreasing the power of the motor, he may increase or decrease his altitude at will. By decreasing the power of the motor skilfully, a landing by vertical descent may be made with the greatest ease and safety.

However, it will usually be desired that the machine be Eight for some istance before descending.

SCLAv ropelled incross country Having attained the desired height for this flight, the operator simply removes his feet from the rests 42 connected with the swiv- I` upon the machine will follow a straightA line l flight, gyratory or' circular movement having been altogether eliminated. During this shifting the surfaces take successively the positions shown diagrammatically in Figs. 5 to 10. In the first shift of ten or fifteen degrees, it will be noticed that the true gyratory motion is replaced by a combined move-- ment in which the surface 14, 14', still gyrate 'around a point asa center, but as they 'no longer move in exactly opposite directions this point is displaced with respect to the center of the machine and the entire machine therefore-begins to travel bodily in a circular path. As the angle of the surfaces to each other is increased the radius of the circular path of travel of the machine is increased, but the gyratory motionl gradually Adecreased owing to the decrease in the component of the propelling force at right angles to the longitudinal axis 'o f the craft. In' the thirty degree position and in the forty-five degree position shown in Figs. 7 and 8, the' gyratory motion will have still` testifies further decreased, and the machine will have` machine will stopits gyratory motion altogether, and partake entirely of travel in a curved ath on a circle of very great radius. 1n the hnal movement of the surfaces 14, 14 all movement ,on the circle of large radius .is reduced to movement on a straight line.

l1`he machine thereupon travels as the ordi nary tandem machine comprising following planes.

Having reached the position ofstraight line flight, the machineis steered by simply altering slightly to the. right or the left the relative positions of the vsurfaces 14, 14. whereupon instead of traveling in a straight line, the machine travels as shown in Fig. 10 `upon anarc of a circle of greater or less radius; Thus no vertical rudder is necessary for the machine. The operator thereupon may place his feet upon the steering lever 43 connected with the steering Wheel 31 and steer the craft by movement of his feet,

'using his hands for the operation of the levers 34 connected with the balancing devices-32. `By moving lthe levers 34independently,

depending upon the direction of the unbal ancing, the craft may readily be restored to its position of proper balance as is usual. A craft of the tandem type usually becomes unbalanced about a diagonal thereof, and it is for this reason that the diagonally opposite balancing devices '32 are connected together for simultaneous operation.`Y

.The-machine needs no horizontal rudder. By simply moving the levers 34 simultaneously in the same direction, 'backward or forward, the balancing devices 32 connected with the leading plane 14 are moved oppositely from the pair connected with the trailing' plane 14, whereby the craft may be 4.freely steered upnr downat will.

When the surfaces 14, 14 were shifted for lstraight line flight, the wheels 40 of the running gear were also shifted, and hence having taken straight line iight, the machine may land or rise in straight line flight, the wheels 40 then tracking in straight line paths parallel tothe wheels 41.

Having made a straight line -liight and desiring to land in a limited Space, the operator has only to shift the surfaces 14, 14 reversely, whereupon the machine resumes gradually vits gyratory movement 'and the 4machine will, when the motor is throttled down, sink slowly to the desired landing place.

Obviously manyf modifications in detail may be carried out by those skilled inv the art witlicutin any waydeparting from the generic spirit of my invention. lFor instance the frame 10 may be made of other shape. vSo also the surfaces 14, 14 may be made of diiferent relative shape (as is common in the well-known tandem machines), and may be given different relative inclines as respects each other. 1 desire particularly to point'out that theI surfaces 14, 14 may y each be constructed with portions lying on opposite sides of the pivotal axis thereof at a dihedral angle. The use of 4following planes, each comprising surfaces at a dihedral angle, characterizes the Langley machines. So also the means of swiveling the 'operators seat and. of preventing rotation thereof may be varied to aw largeextent. Hand operated propellers of smaller size may be. associated therewith. as shown in Fig. 14. l

A modification of the connection of surfaces 14, 14 with frame 10 is diagrammatically shown in Figs. 11 and 12. 1n this case surface 14 is rigidly connected with frame 10, while surface 14 only is movable.' 1n such case during the shifting from gyratory movement to circular and straight line travel, the one surface14 may move around the pivotal aXis of the other, as shown in Fig.v 11, or the single movable surface 14 may be shifted around its own pivotalaXis.

rlhe result in each case is the same. The shifting is accomplished and the machine during the shifting gradually takes uponV itself a greater proportion of circular travel and a less proportion of gyratory travel and nally partakes of circular travel altogether, whereupon straight line travel may be invoked by the final movement of theI wheel 31.

What 1 claim is: 1. .ein air craft comprising a main frame and two lifting surfaces connected lthereto ico at points vlongitudinally spaced apart and for relative horizontal angular movement with respectA to each other, means connected with said frame vand having operative connections with saidsurfaces for adjusting said surfaces with respect to each other in various positions from positions in which they face in opposite directions to positions in which they face in the same direction, and

for holding said surfaces in an adjusted positionfor flight, and driving means propelling said surfaces in the directions in which they face. l

2.14.11 air craft comprising a main frame and two lifting surfaces connected thereto .at points longitudinally spaced apart and for relative horizontal angular movement with respectl to each other,'each of said surfaces having a propeller'rotatable about a relatively fired horizontal aXis transversely thereof, means for driving said propellers,

and means connected with the said frame for shifting said surfaces with respect` to each other from positions in which they face and v tendency o f said passenger support to rotate4 are driven in`opposite directions to positions in` which they face and are driven in the.

Y if@ driven at the same speed and being connected with said frame substantially at their centers of pressure, a seat for an operator, means connected with. said frame and operable from said seat for adjusting said sur-4 15 faces with. respect to each other from positions in which they facein opposite direc-- tions to positions in which they face in the samedirection, and means for driving said surfaces inthe directions in which they face.

l. ln combination, a rotary frame, a support for a passenger swivelly connected thereto, a surface inclined to theline of vertical advance connected with said passenger support and acted upon by the air through which said surface passes to counteract the with saidsupporting frame, and supporting surfaces mounted on said frame and controlled from said passenger support to op- .130 erate as a convertible helicopter and aeroplane.

5.v n air craft comprising a main frame and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at points longitudinally spaced apart and for relative ,horizontalv angular movement with respect to each other, a swivel seat for the operator, means connected with said frame and operable from said seat for adjusting said surfaces in opposite'angular directionsrwith respect to each other to bring them into various positions from positions in which they face in oppositedirections to positions in which they face in the same ldirec- V tion, and for holdin saidsurfaces inan'adjusted position for ight.

6. An air craft comprising al main frame and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at points longitudinally spaced apart and t for relative horizontal angular movement l with respect to each other, means connected with said frame for shifting saidsurfaces with respect to each other from positions in' which they face in opposite directions to positions in which they face in the same direction, driving means propelling said surfaces in the directions in which they face, and a balancing means at each side of a medial fore and aft planeof each surface together with independently operable connections extending etween diagonally opposite balancing devices.

7. An air craft comprising a main frame and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at points longitudinally spaced apart and b5 for relative horizontal angular movement with respect to each other, each of said surfaces having a propeller rotatable about a relatively xed horizontal axis transversely thereof, said propellers being mountedl one to pull and the other to push its associated 7a surface, means for driving said propellers, and means connected with the said frame for shifting said Vsurfaces with respect to each other from positions in which they face and are driven in opposite directions to positions in which they face and are-drivenI in l the same direction.

8. An aeroplane of the tandem type comprising following supporting surfaces each having a substantially vertical pivotal connection with a common longitudinally extending frame, and means for laterally steering said aeroplanecomprising connections between said surfaces whereby they may be moved about their points of connection with g5 said frame .simultaneously inopposite directions. I

9. An aircraft comprising a main frame elongated in shape and tapering symmetrically toward each end, and apair of lifting 96 surfaces connectedpivotally thereto at the extremities thereof respectively and arranged to assume relatively fixed positions facing in opposite directions and also in the same direction. 95

l0. An aircraft comprising a main frame of tetrahedral construction and longitudinally of diamond shape havingforked longitudinal extremities; and a pair of lifting surfaces pivotallysupported respectively be- 100 tween the said forked end portions of the frame and arranged to assume relatively fixed positions facing in opposite directions and also in the same direction.

11. An aircraft comprising a main frame 165 and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at points longitudinally spaced apart and arranged to assume relatively fixed positions facing in opposite, directions andialso in the same direction, together with balancing 116 means for the aircraft-mounted on Said surfaces and operating connections to said balancing devices extending from the main `frame thereto by way of the connections of the surfaces with the` frame. 115

f 12.`An aircraft comprising a main frame and two lifting surfaces connected thereto by means of`hollow pivotal connections at points spaced longitudinally apart and arranged to assume relatively fixed positions facing in 12@ opposite directions and also in the same directions, together with balancing means for the said craft supported from said surfaces and operating connections from said main frame thereto, which extends through the said hollow pivotal connections of the surface with the frame.

13. An aircraft comprising Aa main frame 'and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at points spaced longitudinally apart and 13@V )2.5 points longitudinally spaced apart and ar-yv arranged to assume relatively fixed positions facing in opposite directions and also in the saine direct1on,-aA support for a passenger swlvelly mounted upon sald main frame,

means connected with said -passenger supfrom said support for moving said lifting surfaces from vone position to another.

14. An aircraft comprising a main frame i and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at points longitudinally spaced' apart` and arranged to assume relatively Xed positions facing in opposite'directions and also in the same direction, together with a support for an. operator swivelly mounted upon said main frame and balancing means for the air craft mounted on said surfaces and controllable by an operator upon said support to balance the craft in all positions of said lifting surfaces.

15. An aircraft comprising av main frame and two lifting surfaces connected thereto at ranged to assume relatively xed positions facing 1n opposite directions and also in the same direction, a propellermountedto coing surfaces and means operate with each of in its respective positions, and a vmotor mounted on said Imain each of said propellers to drive the same in all positions of said lifting surfaces.

16. An aeroplane comprising two supportfor positioning said surfaces with relation to. each other to operate las a convertible helicopter and aero-V plane together with lateral balancing means at the lateral extremities of said shiftable surfaces commonly operable from a :common point intermediate the surfaces.

17. An aeroplane comprising two supporting surfaces and means for positioning said surfaces with relation to each other'to opera-te as a convertible helicopter and aeroplane together with shifting means for so positioning said surfaces common to Said frame and geared to saidvv lifting surfaces ,A

fio4

surfaces and operable from a point intermediate the same.

In testimony whereof-I have hereunto setv my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN P. TARBOX.

Witnesses:

E. H. MCLAGHLEN, THOMAS W. NORMAN. 

